Sheet-feeding mechanism.



n. A. FREEMAN. SHEET FEEDING MEGIINISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-1| |907- RENEWED MN. 6| T917.

Patentled Aug. 7, 1917..-

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' WITNEssEs:

ATTORNEY imfrrnn sfrnrns rnfrnnr lorries. N ff,

RUFUS A. FREEMAN, '0F FLUSHING, NEW-YORK, ASSIGNOR TO,1HE .AUTOPRESS COMPANY, A'COBPORATFON 0F NEW YORK.

SHEET-FEEDING iviEoHANIsM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 1, 1907, Serial No. 395,389.V RenewedJanuaryV 6, 1917. Serial No. 141,059.l i

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Burns A. FREEMAN,

v a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Flushing, Queens county, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful 'Improvements in `Sheet-Feeding Mechanism, of which the Afollowing is a specification. Y

The invention relates to sheet-feeding machines and more especially to devices for controlling the sheet feederso as to secure a regular and reliable supply of a single sheet at a time forthe press, folder, or other receiving machine.

Objects of invention are to provide forl feeding olf` sheets with rapidity and regularity and in furtherance thereof to pro-l vide' for preventing the feeding on of two sheets together; to provide simple, inexpensive and efficient sheet-feeding meansl and cooperating therewith controlling means adapted to further the satisfactory and elicient feeding of sheets, said controlling means being in turn controlled or governed automatically by the sheets. other objects of invention will.V in part be obvious and will in part morefully appear hereinafter.

The accompanyingdrawings, referred to herein and forming a partrhereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, thesame l serving in connection withthe description herein to explain the principles of the in-v vention.

Ofthe drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a sheet-separat-` ing means constructed in part in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical central section corresponding to Fig. 1;. and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section, d

on an enlargedscale, of a detail;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the saine as seen from the right in Fig. 3, parts being broken away and shown in section to better illustrate-the construction;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same; and Fig. `6is a horizontal section takenon the line 6 6 of Fig. 4. In the embodiment of the inventionillustratedby way of example in the accompanyv ing drawings,'suitable means for supporting a sheet stack and keeping same in operative relation with the separatingv devicesis contemplated. Said means are shown as coma These and Patented Auf. vf, 1917.,V

with.

`The particular form of sheet-separating and feeding-off` devices comprised lin' the illustrated and described in my .co-pending' j illustrated embodiment are simil-ar to those f applicationV'for Patent Ser. VNo. 395,388.

Said sheet-feeding means: comprise-a separating device 5 shown. in the form of a series of combing` vrolls arranged substantially inv aplane within a supporting, frame. TheV said separating device 5 is shown pivotallyy attachedfto an arm 6 which` is vlikewise shown mounted for angular movement uponV a bracket arm '7^ `mounted upon a rod 8.

.Means for exertingyielding pressure upony the separating device` 5 are provided, the

illustrated form comprising va spring 9 ar-Y l l ranged to exertpressure'between a lng-10 fixed; with referencetothe'bracket arm 7vr and the support 6 of the separator device. An adjusting screw 11 is shown for the pur pose of regulating the pressure' uponA the separating device. There are also shownin connection with the present embodiment means forl regulating the pressure of the various combingrolls carried by the'` separating device and in the'pr'esent embodiment a spring 12 is shown for the said purpose, the said spring exerting pressure between the pivotal connection of the arm 6 and a suit- Y l able lug 13 carried upon the separating'de-` vice 5. An adjusting screw la'is shown for regulatingr the 'pressure of the spring 12.

In the accompanyingv drawings the'separating f devices and associated parts are shown as two in number arranged on either sideV of the central line ofthe sheets in the-vl directionof feeding off. In the presentl em- Suitable Ineansvare provided for varyingv the relationship of the separating d evice to bodiment a rod 15 is shown slidably connected to each of the arms 6,'the said rod also being shown as carrying an antifric'tion` I'Olll. "j

the'sheets o'f'the sheet 'stack for adjustingV I the Vposition yofthe V separating device for sheetsof various sizes and in the illustrated i,

11o f Y form thereof the rods" 8 are shown provided with lugs 17 which are in threaded engagement with screw-rods 18. Said means as shown comprise also devices for turning the rods 18 in unison, including a rod 19 rotatably mounted upon the carriage 22 and connected by miter gears 2O to the rods 18. A lrnurled hand piece 21 is shown on the rod 19 for convenience in rotating it. The said devices are supported on a carriage 22, the rod 8 being slidably mounted therein in suitable guides.

Suitable means for giving movement to the .separating devices are provided and in theillustrated form of such means the carriage 22 is shown slidably mounted in the frame of the machine by means of rollers 23 running in ways 24 upon the said frame. Suitable actuating devices for reciprocating the carriage may be provided, the same being indicated generally herein by the reference numeral 25, a detailed description lthereof being unnecessary.

In addition to the means for giving Va reciprocating movement to the separatingV means., means are also provided for causing the separating means to pass into and out of 'operative relation with the face ofthe sheet stack. The form of such means shown herein includes a member freely movable with respect to the carriage and also being so constructed and arranged as to move with the carriage in certain phases of its operation and being also in operative relation with the separating means. The particular form thereof herein shown comprises a slidable -bar 26 which is slidably supported in the bearing 27 on the carriage 22 and in a fixed bearing block 28. Suitable means for limiting the travel of the said sliding bar i may be provided and in this embodiment the said means are shown as including an adjustable stop 29 mounted upon the bearing piece 28 and engaging shoulders at the sides of the bar, asv shown in Fig. 1.' Y `Suitable connections between the separating means and said movable member 26 are provided, as previously indicated, and in the machine shown in the drawings the form of said means includes a cam 30 carried upon fthe slid able bar l26 and being adjustable thereon suitable means such as a set screw 31. Coperating with the cam .3Q is a cam roll 16 mounted upon the shaft 15 which is slidably carried by the arms 16.

Feeding-off means are also comprised by the invention and the` form thereof `shown herewith comprises rolls ,or fingers 32 carriedj upon arms 83 pivotally mounted u-pon the carriage 22. For providing a yielding press-ure upon the feeding-oit' devices 32 suitable devices are provided including a lspring 34 which may havea regulating device of convenient formV such as a screw shown' `mounted in .the bracket 36. The feeding- Lofi" devices are also shown as .two in number. The invention contemplates also suitable connections between the movable member 26 and the feeding-off devices and the form thereof illustrated herewith comprises a rod 87 slidably mounted in the free end of the arms 83. The said rod 87 is shown carrying a cam roll 38. In coperative relation therewith is a suitable cam 39 mounted upon the sliding bar 26. It will be seen that the engagement of one or both of thc cams 30 and 39 with the rollers 16 and 38, respectively, will cause the bar 26 to move with the carriage toward the right, as seen in Fig. 2, until the bar is stopped, whereupon the rollers will move onto the high p arts of the cams and eXert a gripping action thereon so that the bar will be caused to move with the carriage toward the left .Y until stopped by the adjustable stop member 29 o r by the end of the guideway in the bearing piece 28.

The invention includes sheet-controlled devices for governing the movements of the separating devices and the feeding-off devices and the form thereofY shown herein comprises a detector finger 40, pivotally mounted on the frame of the machine. A pivoted arm 41 connects the finger 40 with apawl trip 42, the nose of which is located to engage with a series of ratchet teeth upon the slidable member 26. There is also shown in operative relation to the detector finger 40 a roll 48 between which and the finger 40 the sheets pass toward the feeding-off rolls, the purpose of the finger 40 being to prevent the passage of more than one sheet at a time. y

Suitable means for accurately adjusting the distance between the finger 40 and roll 43 are provided and in the form shown comprise a support 44 upon which the finger 40 1s pivotally supported, the said support 44 sliding in a suitable aperture in the machine frame. Connected to the support 44 is shown a micrometer head 45 which may be nicely adjusted and then securely locked in posi-tion in a well-known manner.

Should it be desired to hold vthe slidable bar out of action this may be done manually by suitable means, as for instance by a pivoted block 46 which may be thrown down into the path of the bar or turned upward out of the path. l

Suitablel devices vmay be provided for acting upon the :sheets to modify the movement of the separating means and-the form thereof herein shown comprises friction pads 47 mounted fon pivoted arms 48. Suitable means are shown for :exerting adjustable pressure lthereon including a .spring 49 and adjusting .screw `50. The said friction pads may be adjustable as .totheir ipositior-i with reference to the stack tof sheets, and means for `effecting lthis, are provided which may -be .substantially similar to the means described in connection with the separating devices for a similar purpose. Such devices are accordingly so sho-wn and indicated generally by the reference numeral 51.

The operation of the mechanism hereindescribed is substantially as follows: Y

A stack of sheets being in position upon the table 1 and the machine in motion, the separating devices will act upon the sheets to separate them and the feeding-o devices to feed them off to the delivery devices. The carriage 22 is reciprocated to and fro in its path carrying with it the separating and feeding-oliI devices. It will be understood that by reason of the action of the springs 9' and 34 the rolls 16 and V38 will eXert a pressure upon the bar l26. By suchV frictional engagement the bar will travel with the carriage until it reaches the end of its travel or is otherwise brought to rest. Thereupon the rolls 16 and38 will roll upon the bar and reaching their respective cams Y will ride thereon and will thus be lifted out of engagement with the face of the sheet stack. Upon the reversal of the travelof the carriage 2O the pressure of' thesprings 9 and 34 exerted through the rolls 16 and 3S respectively will carry the'bar back in the opposite direction until it is arrested atl the other end of its travel, whereupon the rolls will ride down offtheir cams, bringing the separating and feeding-oftl devices a ain Vinto contact with the sheet stack. T ese operations will be repeated with successive reciprocations of the carriage 20. 1t will be understood that by the various adjustments described the time when the separating and feeding-off means move out of engagement with the stack and into engagement therewith may be varied as desired. To prevent the feeding-oft of more than one sheet at a time and also to stop the separating actionv when two or more. sheets are presented in the feeding-off position, the trip finger 40 may be nicely adjusted with respectto the roll 43 for the thickness of sheet being used.

The presence of more than one sheet would vnormal position. The operation of the remaining parts will be obvious without more extended description.

From all the foregoing it will be under- The rolls 16 and 38 would then,

stood that a sheet-feeding machine hasvbeen provided which realizes the objects of invention and the advantages herein set forth, together with other objects and advantages. The invention, in its broader aspects, vis not limited to lthe ,particular construction shown, nor to any particular constructions by whichit has been or may be carriedjinto effect, as many changes may be made in the construction without departing from the main principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

/Vhat I vdo Vclaim as'my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 5 1. A sheet-feeding `machine including in combination means for supporting a sheet stack, a reciprocating carriage, separating devices and feeding-ofi' devices carried there- Y by, and sheet-controlled.meansl for movingl both the separating means and the feedingo means out Aof operative relation with the o face of the sheet stack. Y .l j 2. A sheet-feeding machine'including lin combination .means for supporting ak sheet staclnr a movable carriage having a fixedv 9o amount of travel. separating means and feeding-off means Vcarried' by theLsaid car- -riage'7 and sheet controlledmeans for moving both the separating means and thefeeding-olf means` out ofoperative relation with Vthe faceof the. sheet stack at any point in the travel of the carriage when the said sheet-controlled means isfactuated. 'Y

Arsheet-fe'eding machine includingin combinationa support for a sheet stack, a traveling carriage' separating means and' feeding-off vmeans. supported by said carriage, a movable member loosely mounted Von the said carriage, vmeans between the said loosely-mounted member and the separating means 'for causing the separating means to pass into and out of operative relation with the sheet stack,v means between the said loosely-mountedz member and the feedingolf means for causing the feeding-olf means to pass into and out of operative relation with the sheet stack, a sheet controlled trip, and means connected to the said sheet-controlled trip for controlling the movement of said movable member. Y Y

4. Afsheet-feeding machine including-in combination a support for a sheet stack, a reciprocating carriage, sheet-separatingv means mounted upon the said carriage, feed- `ing-0H means mounted upon the said car- 120 riage, a freely slidable bar mounted upon the said carriage, connections between the said. slidable bar and theseparating means for causing the separating means to. pass c into and out vof operative relation with the sheet stack, connections between the y said slidable bar and the feeding-oft' means forv causing the feeding-ofi' means to pass into and out of operative relation with the sheet stack, and sheet-controlled Vmeans for controlling the movement of .the said slidable bar. v

5. A sheet-feeding machine including in combination a Vsupport for a sheet stack, a reciprocating carriage, separating means mounted upon the said carriage, a slidable bar mounted upon the said carriage, connections between the said separating means and the said slidable bar for frictionally engaging the bar so as to hold it in iiXed position upon the carriage, a cam adjustably mounted upon the said bar, and sheetcontrolling means for engaging the bar so as to overcome the frictional engagement of the said connections.

6. A sheet-feeding machine including in combination a support for a sheet stack, a reciprocating carriage, separating means mounted upon the said carriage, feeding-off means mounted upon the said carriage, a slidable bar mounted upon the said carriage, connections between the separating means and the slidable bar for frictionally holding the bar, connections between the feeding-off means and the slidable bar for frictionally holding the bar, a cam mounted upon the said barfor moving the separating means into andA out of operative relation with the sheet stack, a cam mounted upon the said bar for moving the feeding-oit means into and out of operative relation, and sheet-controlling means for engaging the said bar so as to overcome the frictional engagement of the said connections.

v7. A sheet-feeding machine including in combination, means for supporting a sheet stack, a reciprocating carriage, sheet coinbing means and feeding-off means carried thereby, and sheet controlled means for rendering inoperative both the combing means and the feeding-off means.

8. A sheet feeding machine including in combination a sheet combing device, a feeding off device, a moving part from which said two devices are actuated, and means frictionally displaced by the presence of a plurality of sheets for rendering inoperative both the combing device and the feeding oif device without causing the stoppage of said moving part.

9. A sheet-feeding machine including in combination, means for supporting a pile of paper, means for combing the top sheets of the pile to separate them, feeding off devices operating on the top of the pile and sheet controlled means for rendering inoperative said combing means.

10. A sheet feeding machine including in combination, reciprocating combing devices, reciprocating feeding off devices, each of said devices being normally operative on one stroke only, rand sheet controlled means for rendering inoperative both said devices.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RUFUs A. FREEMAN.

Witnesses WM. J. DoLAN, JOHN CONAHEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washingtun, D. C. 

